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30 July 2015

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Rail privatisation drive by European Commission should be stopped in its tracks, says Lynn Boylan MEP

THE Irish Government must resist pressures from the European Commission to open up the rail network to privatisation, Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan has said, pointing to the shambles that privatisation has created in Britain, including higher fares.

Reiterating that Iarnród Éireann, like Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus, provides a vital public transport services across the country, the Sinn Féin MEP said that all attempts to privatise these services must be resisted.

She said that, in Britain, rail services were privatised in the 1990s with promises of greater investment, better services and a better deal for the taxpayer.

“Unfortunately, all of these pledges have proved to be false,” she noted.

“Rail fares have increased, competition has not reduced fares, tickets have increased on average by 24%.

“Any upgrades to services have come at the expense of the taxpayer, with up to 90% of new investment financed by Network Rail.

“The Government must push hard to secure a derogation for Ireland from these European Commission proposals.”

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